This invention generally relates to image-forming machines. More particularly, this invention relates to image-forming machines having cleaning systems to remove toner and the electrostatic charge from a photoconductor.
An image-forming machine transfers images onto paper or other medium. The image-forming machine usually includes a photoconductor, one or more chargers, an exposure machine, a toning station, a fuser station, and a cleaning station. The image-forming machine usually has a logic control unit (LCU) or other microprocessor for controlling and operating the various components.
Generally, the photoconductor is selectively charged and optically exposed to form an electrostatic latent image on the surface. Toner is deposited onto the photoconductor surface. The toner is charged, thus adhering to the photoconductor surface in areas corresponding to the electrostatic latent image. The toner image is transferred onto a sheet of paper or other medium. In the fuser station, the sheet is heated causing the toner to fix or adhere to the paper or other medium. The photoconductor is refreshed, cleaned to remove residual toner and charge, and then is ready to make another image. The sheet exits the image-forming equipment.
As a sheet exits an image-forming machine, the portion of the photoconductor used to produce the image passes through the cleaning station. The cleaning station usually has a cleaning brush positioned to engage the photoconductor. The cleaning brush removes toner, electrostatic charges, fibers of paper or other medium, dust, and the like from the photoconductor. The toner on the photoconductor acts as a lubricant to protect the photoconductor from the brush. However, during the image-forming process, some portions of the photoconductor do not receive much or any toner. Some frames may be skipped because of the paper selection or other operating factors. When a portion of the photoconductor is cleaned without the lubricant properties of toner, the cleaning brush fibers may engage and damage the photoconductor. The portions of the photoconductor lacking toner may become abraded and worn by the cleaning brush. These abraded and worn areas may act as a catalyst for scum and charger rest defects. In addition, the material removed from the photoconductor may coat the cleaning brush fibers. The contaminated fibers may deposit this residual material onto other portions of the photoconductor including the image forming areas. The deposits on the image forming area also may become regions for scum and charger rest contamination, which yield poor image quality when an image is produced in that portion of the photoconductor.
This invention provides an image-forming machine with a conditioned cleaning system. The image-forming machine applies toner onto one or more image areas and onto one or more toner lubrication areas on a photoconductor. In addition to assisting in the image-forming process, the toner essentially provides a lubricating or protective barrier on the photoconductor.
An image-forming machine with a conditioned cleaning system may have a photoconductor, one or more chargers, a toning station, and a cleaning station. The one or more chargers are positioned near the photoconductor and electrostatically charge one or more image areas and one or more toner lubrication areas on the photoconductor. The toning station also is positioned near the photoconductor and applies toner onto the image areas and the toner lubrication areas. The cleaning station is positioned near the photoconductor and removes toner from the image areas and the toner lubrication areas.
In a method of cleaning an image-forming machine, one or more image areas and one or more toner lubrication areas are electrostatically charged on a photoconductor. Toner is applied to the image areas and the toner lubrication areas. Toner is removed from the image areas and the toner lubrication areas.
Other systems, methods, features, and advantages of the invention will be or will become apparent to one skilled in the art upon examination of the following figures and detailed description. All such additional systems, methods, features, and advantages are intended to be included within this description, within the scope of the invention, and protected by the accompanying claims.